Control system for power transmission within a structure

ABSTRACT

A system of electrical distribution within a building, which selectively energizes power sockets only when an appliance is connected to the socket and in need of power.

BACKGROUND

Common electrical sockets used for power distribution within structuressuch as homes and businesses have been used for efficient powertransmission for decades. While efficient at power transfer, they havenumerous shortcomings that are well known yet have never been addressed.The presence of a live uncovered or exposed conducting surface intoday's sockets near the surface of the wall puts children at risk whenthey insert fingers or objects. If a power cord carrying power from thewall to an appliance is damaged, it creates a live wire outside of thewall, with similar (but greater) risks.

The danger of sockets requiring direct connection to transmit power canbe addressed by creating resonance between an in-wall source and a wallsurface sink, with the sink being connected to a power cable whichsupplies an appliance. This process is described in numerous U.S.Patents and applications, including 8,115,448, 8,106,539, 8,097,983,8,084,889, 8,076,801, 8,076,800, 8,035,255, 8,022,576, 7,825,543, and7,741,734.

While the resonance method eliminates the danger of a live wire in asocket, it does not eliminate risk from damage to the cable, nor is itas efficient as it could be if the in-wall source is always on. What isneeded, then, is a method for conveniently turning the power on onlywhen a bonafide wall surface sink is connected, and for cutting it offin the event of damage to the cable.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In accordance with a first aspect of the disclosed subject matter thereis provided a method of controlling electrical power distribution to asocket, comprising the steps of generating a signal, transmitting thesignal through the socket, causing the signal to be broadcast into theair, receiving the signal, and switching electrical power to the socketon when the signal is received. In accordance with a second aspect ofthe disclosed subject matter there is provided an apparatus fordistribution of electrical power to a socket, comprising a signalgenerator that generates a signal, a transmitter adjacent the socket, anantenna capable of broadcasting the signal, a router capable ofdetecting the signal when broadcast, and a controller capable of turningelectrical power to the socket on or off in response to the signaldetected by the router.

The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of theinvention will be more readily understood upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the controlsystem when proper connections have been made and power is flowingthrough the socket.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the controlsystem when power is not flowing through the socket.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of thecontrol system featuring an external hub.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of this application, an “appliance” is any device thatoperates using mains power such as is typically found in homes andbusinesses.

A plug 10 and a socket 12 are so constructed as to mate with one anotherfor the purposes of transmitting full power 24 capable of operatingappliance 18. The precise shape of the plug 10 and socket 12 do notmatter as long as they can be securely connected to one anothermechanically. Preferably, a self-centering design is used to easilysecure the plug 10 into the socket 12. The plug 10 and socket 12 arepreferably designed to operate to transmit power 24 wirelessly from thesocket 12 to the plug 10. This minimizes the chance of contact betweenhumans or animals and a live wire. However, it is also possible toconstruct this system with conventional plugs as are already common inhomes and business throughout the world.

In one embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, a transmitter 11 located proximatethe socket 12 transmits a radio frequency signal 14, generated by thesignal generator 13, which uniquely identifies the particular socket 12with which it is associated. The signal 14 may be compatible with IEEE802.11 standards to permit the use of readily available hardware for itsgeneration. Along with signal 14, the socket 12 also constantly streamslow power 15 sufficient to energize a few radio chips. Low power 15 isalso preferably transmitted wirelessly from socket 12 to plug 10. Thelow power 15 is insufficient to operate appliance 18 and also preferablyinsufficient to harm humans or animals who may come in contact with it.The transmitter 11 is intentionally designed to have a poor impedancematch with the air, so that relatively little of the signal 14 is ableto leak out. However, a receiver 17 located in the plug 10, when placedthe appropriate distance from the transmitter 11, has a good impedancematch, and the plug 10 therefore receives the signal 14 and low power15. The power cable 16 conveys the signal 14 and low power 15 to anappliance 18 with minimal loss. This may involve a dedicated waveguide,such as the familiar coaxial cable, or the signal 14 and low power 15may be carried by the ordinary copper wires by which full power 24 toturn on the appliance 18 is transmitted, so that the power cable 16 willbe of minimal size. The appliance 18 is provided with an antenna 19 thatis so designed as to efficiently broadcast the signal 14. The antenna 19may be outside the appliance 18 housing, or it may be inside thehousing. Preferably, the appliance 18 has a power switch which acts notonly to connect and disconnect the full power 24 provided by the plug 10to the appliance 18, but also to connect and disconnect the signal 14and low power 15 to the antenna 19.

When the plug 10 is in the socket 12 (FIG. 1) and the power switch onthe appliance (if provided) is in the “on” position, the signal 14carrying the socket 12 ID travels from the transmitter 11 to thereceiver 17, down the power cable 16, and to the antenna 19. Low power15 travels from socket 12 to plug 10 down the cable 16 to turn on theradio chip connected to antenna 19 in appliance 18. Signal 14 isbroadcast into the air, and then received by a router 20 whichcommunicates with a power controller 22. The controller 22 may controlfull power 24 to all sockets 12 in the house or office, or there may bea separate controller 22 for each individual socket 12. In either case,the sockets 12 are each subject to individual control. When thecontroller 22 receives the signal 14 identifying the socket 12, it turnson full power 24 (for example at 110V or greater as required for theoperation of the appliance) to that socket 12 and that socket 12 only.Other sockets 12 remain unchanged. The controller 22 may use anywell-known means, such as relays, to accomplish this. For as long as therouter 20 continues to receive the signal 14, the controller 22maintains power 24 to the socket 12. If the power switch on theappliance 18 (if provided) is turned off or the plug 10 pulled out ofthe socket 12 (FIG. 2), the connection between the transmitter 11 andthe antenna 19 is broken. The broadcast of the signal 14 ceases, and thecontroller 22 turns off full power 24 to the socket 12. In like fashion,if the cable 16 is cut or broken, the cable 16 ceases to convey thesignal 14 to the antenna 19, with the same effect. Electrocution hazardis greatly reduced. There is never full power 24 to the socket 12 unlessa bonafide appliance 18 that can complete the communication loop withthe router 20 is plugged in, and unplugging or damaging the cable 16cuts full power 24. (Low power 15 is still provided.) If the socket 12is of the wireless type as is preferable, there are never live surfacesnear the wall, either. In addition, there is no need for power switchesto be capable of switching heavy loads within the appliance 18 becausethat can be handled by the system in the wall. This is of particularadvantage for high-current inductive loads, such as those involvingelectric motors.

For certain appliances 18, the power switch would not be connected tothe antenna 19. For instance, a laptop computer might need to charge itsbattery even when the computer is turned off. The antenna 19 in such acase would be continuously connected to the cable 16, regardless of thestatus of the power switch.

A power strip 26 or extension cord with multiple sockets 28 may containa local controller that may assign a unique ID to each of its sockets28, as shown in FIG. 1. When such a power strip 26 is connected to thewall socket 12, it becomes necessary to transmit not only the ID of thewall socket 12 and low power 15, but also the ID of each power stripsocket 28. The power strip 26 can use a fraction of the low power 15transmitted from the wall socket 12 for each power strip socket 28. Eachsocket 28 carries low power 15 and a signal 14 bearing both the wallsocket's 12 ID and a unique ID for each power strip socket 28. When anappliance 18 is connected to the power strip 26, its antenna 19 receivesand transmits two identifiers: one for the wall socket 12, and one forthe power strip socket 28. The controller 22 then energizes theappropriate wall socket 12, and at the same time transmits the powerstrip socket 28 ID through wall socket 12, where it is received by thepower strip 26. The local controller then energizes only the power stripsocket 28 whose ID is received from the wall socket 12. Multiple powerstrip sockets 28 are activated by the transmission of multiple IDsthrough the wall socket 12 in the same manner when appliances 18 areconnected to those power strip sockets 28. Sockets in the power stripwithout a bonafide appliance 18 connected to them are not energized oractivated.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the signal is nottransmitted directly to the router 20. Rather, the appliance 18communicates with the controller 22 through an external hub 30, such asa cell-phone system. In this embodiment, the appliance 18 does not sendthe signal 14 directly to the router 20. Rather, the appliance 18 sendsthe signal 14 to the external hub 30, which then generates a message 32to transmit to the router 20. The system may incorporate a gateway 34capable of receiving a signal 14 and the message 32 and converting eachof them to a new form of encoding, as is known in the art, so that theappliance 18 need not generate sufficient power by itself to reach theexternal hub 30, nor be compatible with all possible external hubs 30.In one embodiment, communications from the appliance 18 or router 20 tothe gateway 34 are encoded based on IEEE 802.11, and communicationsbetween the gateway 34 and the external hub 30 are based on cellulartelephone protocols. These protocols include but are not limited to IEEE802.16 (known in the art by the trademark WIMAX), 3GPP Releases(including Release 8 and later, known in the art as LTE or “Long TermEvolution”), and standards promulgated by the InternationalTelecommunications Union (including IMT-Advanced), and revisionsthereof. These protocols are all well known in the art and are availableto the public, and are hereby incorporated in their entirety byreference. Other protocols may also be employed, including those not yetdescribed or even conceived. The message 32 may be passed through thegateway 34 if one is used, or it may be received directly by the router20. Because of bandwidth limits, it may be desirable to generate an “on”message 32 and an “off” message 32 in response to the receipt ornon-receipt of the signal 14 by the external hub 30, rather thantransmitting the message 32 continuously as in the strictly local systemdescribed above. In addition to the advantages described above when astrictly local system is used, the use of the external hub 30 permitspower 24 to individual sockets 12 to be controlled remotely. Thus, forinstance, a user with a smartphone, tablet computer, or otherinternet-capable device could activate heating or air conditioning athome before leaving work, so that the temperature inside the house wouldbe comfortable upon arrival. Alternatively, a computer could beprogrammed to activate lights, television, radio, and other devices inorder to give the impression that a vacant house is occupied.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoingspecification are used therein as terms of description and not oflimitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms andexpressions of excluding equivalence of the features shown and describedor portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the inventionis defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

I claim:
 1. A method of controlling electrical power distribution to asocket, comprising the steps of: a) generating a signal; b) transmittingthe signal through the socket; c) causing the signal to be broadcastinto the air; d) receiving the signal; and e) switching electrical powerto the socket on when the signal is received.
 2. The method of claim 1further comprising the step of switching the power to the socket off ifthe signal ceases to be received.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein thesignal is compatible with IEEE 802.11 standards.
 4. An apparatus fordistribution of electrical power to a socket, comprising: a) a signalgenerator that generates a signal; b) a transmitter adjacent the socket;c) an antenna capable of broadcasting the signal; d) a router capable ofdetecting the signal when broadcast; and e) a controller capable ofturning electrical power to the socket on or off in response to thesignal detected by the router.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4,further comprising a plug, said plug containing a receiver, and saidplug being adapted to place the receiver adjacent the transmitter whenthe plug is inserted into the socket.
 6. An apparatus according to claim5, further comprising a cable connecting said plug to said antenna. 7.An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said controller is connectedto a plurality of sockets.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 4 whereinsaid controller is connected to a single socket.
 9. An apparatusaccording to claim 4 wherein said controller turns said power on whilethe signal is being received, and turns power off when said signalceases to be received.
 10. A method of controlling electrical powerdistribution to a socket, comprising the steps of: a) generating asignal; b) transmitting the signal through the socket; c) causing thesignal to be broadcast into the air; d) receiving a message generated inresponse to the signal; and e) switching electrical power to the socketon or off based on the message.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein saidsignal has a form of encoding, and further comprising the step ofreceiving the signal and converting the signal to a new form ofencoding.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said signal is convertedfrom encoding compatible with IEEE 802.11.
 13. The method of claim 12wherein said new form of encoding is compatible with a cellulartelephone protocol.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said new form ofencoding is compatible with a IEEE 802.16 or a revision thereof.
 15. Themethod of claim 13 wherein said new form of encoding is compatible with3GPP Release 8 or later.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein said newform of encoding is compatible with IMT-Advanced.
 17. The method ofclaim 10 wherein said message has a form of encoding, and furthercomprising the step of converting the message to a new form of encoding.18. The method of claim 17 wherein said message is converted fromencoding compatible with a cellular telephone protocol.
 19. The methodof claim 18 wherein said message is converted from encoding compatiblewith IEEE 802.16 or a revision thereof.
 20. The method of claim 18wherein said message is converted from encoding compatible with 3GPPRelease 8 or later.
 21. The method of claim 18 wherein said message isconverted from encoding compatible with IMT-Advanced.
 22. The method ofclaim 12 wherein said new form of encoding is compatible with IEEE802.11.